Current Affairs

11/12/2014

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. I was a guest of Real Mom Media for this event and was given a lovely parting gift of a Samsung tablet from XFinity before I left to go home.

Today I got to visit Philadelphia Magazine's absolutely stunning Design Home 2014. It was AMAZING. The house itself was gorgeous, but then they went ahead and added about a million cool techy things through XFinity/Comcast that just threw its cool factor completely over the edge for me.

The thing that floored me the most about the house was that although it had all the latest technology within, it didn't look high tech. It looked comfortable. Like people could actually live there within this century. All the colors were perfect. The floor plan flowed so smoothly, and yet there were about a million nooks and crannies all over to explore.

One of my favorite parts of the house was the lowest level which included a living room area, bar, gym, laundry room and the nanny's quarters including a bedroom and bathroom. We were brought in to learn about XFinity's X1 system which allows you to customize your TV viewing experience throughout your home. It seems like a pretty cool system with lots of features like:

the ability to record up to 12 shows at once

flip through the guide and watch shows that may not be on at the moment

make playlists of your favorite shows to play on a continuous loop

We then took the stairs (although there WAS an elevator available, it was that immense...) all the way up to the top floor which was designed as a kids' playroom. If I know my kids at all, this would definitely be their favorite room in the house. Up there, we learned about XFinity wifi services and all its capabilities using hte XFinity wifi app. Just wait, soon it will be available for use even when you are overseas!

We made our way downstairs to the kitchen... I feel like kitchen is too small a word for the place we were in. It was more like what I have dreamed heaven might be like. There was a ginormous marble island in the middle of the room, cabinets everywhere, a butler's pantry in the corner, a TV on the wall, and just so much more. The dining area was across the room and had not one but two - TWO wine cabinets. It was my favorite room in the house.

The XFinity guys were there to tell us even more about the XFinity Home at that point. We learned that it is possible to basically set up your entire home on your tablet so you can view, adjust, fix, or turn on or off anything at all. It can be used as a security system, a thermostat, a baby/pet monitor, a lighting adjuster, and much more!

At this point, my head was exploding with knowledge and I took a little wander off by myself to check out the rest of the house. Let me tell you, I almost got lost in the master suite's bathroom. But don't worry, I found my way out and was able to find all the other gems throughout the house like the upstairs laundry room, the three additional bedrooms, huge walk in closets, and did I mention there was an ELEVATOR?

I was very impressed with everything I saw today. I wanted to get it all out right now before I went to bed or I would probably not sleep thinking about it!

04/06/2014

This post was made possible through the support of Goodwill. All opinions are my own.

photo courtesy of Ad Council & Goodwill

I have a hard time putting into words how I feel about material items. There are days when I really want to leave the modern world, get rid of all my stuff and just live off the land. But there are other days when I thoroughly enjoy the rush I get from buying some frivolous item from the dollar bin at Target. But for the most part, I try to make sure everything I own has at least a dual purpose so that I feel as if I am getting the most out of it I possibly can.

So when it comes time to part ways with my material items, I want to make sure they are going somewhere beneficial. If there is still some good life in an item, I will never just throw it in the trash or recycling bin without first playing matchmaker between the item and a potential new owner. Sometimes I keep items that I no longer use for much longer than I probably should simply because I can't find someone who could take them off my hands.

Thankfully, there are organizations like Goodwill that are really doing something with all those unwanted items out there in the world. And guess what? Right now if you donate items during the Goodwill's #7DaysofSpringCleaningcampaign, your items will be serving that dual purpose I love so much. Your donated items will be helping in two ways: 1) Goodwill will sell your items at a reasonable cost to people who need them and then 2) they will use the money earned to provide job training for people who need it.

Check out this video that explains it a little better:

Cleaning out your closet or kitchen cabinets might be a little bit easier now that you know what your stuff is capable of doing out there in the big ol' world, huh? I know it is for me. Plus, there is a very wonderful satisfaction that comes with being able to see the closet floor every once in a while.

Oh, and if you want to see exactly how much of an impact your donations will make, you can use Goodwill's Donation Impact Calculator. It calculates how many hours of career counseling will be available by how much you donate.

If you are interested in donating to Goodwill, you can locate the nearest drop off point at their website using the locator map on their website.

04/02/2014

I am so grateful for Facebook. Not only has it introduced me to new friends, but it has brought me back in contact with old ones. It has also given me the chance to be re-introduced to old colleagues and classmates that I had always wanted to know but never had the guts to talk to back in my early years.

When I was a kid, there was this guy who was a little younger than me named Jayson. He lived in the same town and always seemed a bit mysterious. I didn't know him other than a quick 'What's up?' as we passed in the hallway or sat in a random class together. But the look on his face always told me that he was thinking about something big.

Thanks to Facebook, I finally had the courage to say hello after all these years. As it turns out, Jayson really WAS thinking all that time... about movies. Horror movies, to be exact. Over the past few years, I've been following Jayson's progress. Not only has he written several scripts, but he started his own production company Blue Dusk Productions with his friend Chris Ethridge and is also a school teacher with a big heart.

I am very happy to share the announcement of their latest accomplishment The Morningside Monster here on my little blog.

Per the press release:

"The Morningside Monster is the gritty, suspenseful horror/thriller from Blue Dusk Productions and Making Monster Productions. When a series of ritualistic murders rattle the small town of Morningside, NJ, the sheriff and his deputy embark on a desperate race against time to catch the killer, pitting them against friends, enemies and even each other."

I was able to interview Jayson to get a little more insight into the movie and his life as a writer, teacher, and movie maker. Here's what we talked about:

How long have you been in the horror movie biz?

Jayson: I have been writing and making my own films for as long as I can remember. At some point in my early childhood, I had hijacked my father's old video gear, grabbed the kids in the neighborhood and started making films.

My first "official" break in the industry came back in 1998 when I was introduced to director Michael P. Russin. He was looking to do a horror anthology called "Creepy Tales" and needed a third story. I happen to have one called, "Daria 13" that fit the bill and just like that, I was a "professional" writer.

Russin and I went on to work together on a few more features, shorts and music videos. He is a great guy and friend.

But I needed a life change. So, I moved to Atlanta in 2006. At a film festival here I met guy named Chris Ethridge. Him and I hit it off pretty well. We created Blue Dusk Productions and our first feature together, "The Morningside Monster".

Being that you are also a teacher... How do you balance both parts of your life?

Jayson: I wouldn't say there's necessarily any balancing I do. There is a lot of cross over between the two. I work with children mainly ages three to eleven, which I love. They are still in that age of wonder and discovery. Children have a way of creating beautiful art through the most abstract materials. I think a lot of us as adults have either forgotten how or are afraid to do that. Sometimes it is better to color outside the lines. I try and remember that as a writer.

Do your students know about your movie career?

Jayson: Yeah, my older students know. One of the activities we do each year is make movies. I try and teach them the basics of film making. They write their own scripts, pick their cast, learn to work the camera, edit... The whole deal. At the end of the year we hold a family dinner night where the children cook a meal for their relatives. After the meal we have a screening of all the films the children have made during the year. It's a blast!

What made you choose Morningside, NJ as the setting for the movie?

Jayson: I am a Jersey boy, through and through. I was born in Dover and raised in Wharton, which is a small blue collar town in North, central Jersey. I have a lot of love for that small little town. Morningside is based on Wharton. Or at least the town how I remembered it growing up.

I spent many days as a child exploring the alleys, empty buildings and especially the woods surrounding the town. I think as a kid you can do that kind of stuff. Now, I would probably be arrested for trespassing.

Those experiences in that town certainly have inspired a lot of my stories. So, I wouldn't be surprised if Morningside popped up now then in some future project.

Who is your favorite character?

Jayson: That's a hard question to answer. A screenplay changes a lot from paper to the screen. Each actor breathes their own life into the characters you create, which is one things I love about film. The cast in this film is amazing!

Picking a favorite character is kind of like asking to pick a favorite child. Even though one may be a brat and the other angel, you love them equally.

I am someone who is afraid of horror movies. What do I need to prepare for?

Jayson: Keeping the night light on for a while.

...that's what I was afraid of.

Thank you, Jayson for the awesome interview. Can't wait to see The Morningside Monster this weekend!

02/25/2014

I was just going through to see if I had any old, unpublished posts on here that I could work on finishing today. As it turns out, I don't think I want to finish any of them. And I don't want to leave them sitting there all alone by themselves in the blogging abyss either. So, here are the snippets of unfinished posts for you to enjoy. Or delete. Or whatever. They are all related and unrelated at the same time.

Whatever happened to birthDAYS? - Oct 10, 2011

We've been celebrating my daughter's birthday for about 4 days now. No reason. It's not a "special" birthday or anything. No milestones to report. No fantastic news attached with it. It's just the birthday that never seems to end. It started with the mandatory school cupcakes. Then birthday dinner. After that was the kid party that night. Then came the family visit with presents and cakes and fun galore. We were afforded a small break in between events that some like to call "sleep", but for me it was more like "lay in bed and figure out how to dye a Pringle orange so it matches the bill of Perry the Platypus so I could use it on yet another cake." It was all one big run-on sentence.

Contrary to popular belief- Oct 31, 2011

Contrary to popular belief, I love animals. I think bunnies are the cutest things alive. I won't intentionally kill an insect unless it's biting me or someone close to me. We have bird feeders outside that I love to look at during the cardinals' feeding times. I love animals just as much as I love people. That's the main reason I don't want a pet.

I've had pets before...bunnies, guinea pigs, fish, parakeets. They were all hard work, and I loved them. I was so sad when they all passed away. They were all members of my family. It was heartbreaking to watch each and every one of them fall asleep and never wake up. Having a pet is the same to me as having another child.

Predicting the future- March 16, 2012

I wonder if my parenting instincts are right. Every once in a while, I catch a glimpse of what I think my kids will look like as teenagers or even adults. I also envision them acting in certain ways when they're older. I wonder how much of it will come true.

My daughter currently is much deeper into her emotional side than I thought 8 year olds could be. My son is a wack-a-do. He's only 3, so he's got time.

Things that will never change- March 30, 2012

Chip bags will never be closed properly resulting in forever stale chips.

dirty socks on couch

"I know"

clothes on bedroom floor

toothpaste in sink

What blogging has done for me- Oct 1, 2012

When I first started blogging, I thought I may have finally found a great avenue for my brain spillage. I could write down some of my thoughts to see if anyone else shared similar ones with me. I had no idea it could possibly lead to everything it has so far.

Over the past year and a half, blogging has given me something much more than just an outlet for my innermost thoughts.

Stay away from the news- Oct 26,2012

I try my best to stay away from the news. I know, I know... I'm supposed to stay abreast of wordly things and know what's going on around me. But do I, really? Lately the news has gotten so bad that my head hurts constantly. I don't sleep and when I do I wake up with a large crease between my eyebrows from apparently horrific dreams.

I've decided to focus more on that "around me" bit. There are so many things going on around me in a MUCH closer vacinity that I should concern myself with. Bye bye news.

Talking with God- November 15, 2012

I've been talking with God a lot lately. As everyone who watches the news knows, we had a terrible storm here almost two weeks ago that ripped apart a lot of shore towns, left northern town without power- some who still don't have it- and just shocked everyone. Shocked. Numb. Sad.

I rush around like an ant trying to help rebuild my community one little grain of sand at a time. Everyone acts the same. We all go right to work. No one is slacking. Yes, there are some unscrupulous people trying to take advantage of the situation by selling back donated items to stores and taking too many pillows, but they are few. The majority just want their homes back to normal.

I feel guilty for having a bubble placed around me. No damage. No nothing. My children are safe. I can still go get my hair done and go about my life the way I normally have in the past. But I can't. Someone told me the term is "survivor's remorse". I like that better than guilt. I'm not guilty of anything... I'm just feeling remorseful.

Blogging- July 18, 2013

Every time I sit down to write here, I think of an episode of House I watched a long time ago. Laura Prepon played a blogger back when blogging was sort of new-ish. Her blog was basically a public daily journal that had many followers. She wrote in it religiously which made her husband (boyfriend? I don't remember) question her actions. Why did she feel that she had a connection with people she didn't even know in real life? Why did she write there so much?

I think I figured it out.

Same day- July 18, 2013

Today I can't shake the feeling that something is wrong. Who? Where? What? I don't know. But my gut is telling me something needs to change.

I have been inside the past three days writing my face off...trying to meet deadlines...trying to get everything done. Am I missing something out there?

Purpose- Oct 23, 2013

I have always had a very hard time buying or owning items that do not have more than one purpose. One of the two (or more) purposes of each item has to be one that is actually physically useful. The next requirement is that the item makes me happy. Anything else is gravy.

So some of the normal things that happen in life don't come as easily for me. Everything I do has some sort of purpose. In some cases, that purpose may only be known to me and it may seem strange to outsiders looking in. And that purpose might not be relavent in the grand scheme of life, but it is important to me at the time.

So that's it. That's all my unfinished thoughts over the past few years. I don't have as many answers as I wish I did. But sometimes just getting those thoughts out of my head and into the world help get me on my way. Thank you to anyone who read this post. I really appreciate it.

06/06/2013

I have this beautiful friend named Trish. Not only is she a fantastic mother of three, a writer with wonderful talent, and owner of the blog Yoke she is an ambassador for Alex's Lemonade Stand. After learning her daughter Lily had a cancerous brain tumor at 14 months-old and watching her endure several surgeries and treatments, Trish made it her priority to try her best to stop this cancer from hurting any more families out there. Here is her story:

Beautiful Lily

When life gives you lemons. . .you make Alex's Lemonade!

When my daughter was first diagnosed with a
brain tumor, I knew nothing about Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation for Childhood
Cancer (ALSF). Then one morning in June while she was upstairs at the Children's
Hospital of Phildelphia in the PICU recovering from brain surgery, I went
downstairs to buy a cup of lemonade.

CHOP was buzzing with excitement--it was the
ALSF annual Lemonade Days. I, however, was in a bad place. The day before
Lily had complications during a procedure. I hated the world. I hated everything
and everyone. I was spent.

Then I heard Liz
Scott speak. I only remember one word that Liz
said:

Hope.

Hearing this amazing
woman and mother, who lost her child, tell me to have hope, saved
me.

My daughter Lily is
7-year-olds and a brain tumor survivor. She was diagnosed when she was
14-months old, after weeks of throwing up. Her pediatrician kept diagnosing a GI
bug and a bladder infection. Finally, we begged for more answers and we were
sent to the emergency room at the Children's Hospital of
Philadelphia.

Within 30 minutes we
had our answer: a brain tumor.

Those are two words,
you never, ever want to hear as a parent.

Lily has endured
multiple brain surgeries, seven weeks of proton radiation and continued
therapies to help improve her motor skills and strengthen her muscles. Brain
surgery damaged Lily's overall muscle tone and coordination. Therapy and hard
work has brought Lily full circle. The little girl who once could not walk, now
runs and tumbles and dances. She is a shining beacon of hope and strength and
love.

But we know that
Lily's battle is not unique. Everyday, 46 children are diagnosed with
childhood cancer. Everyday, 46 mothers and fathers learn that their child will
begin the fight for their lives. Seven children die everyday at the hands of
childhood cancer.

46 children is 46 too
many. The suffering has to stop.

It is because of these
children that our family holds an Alex's Lemonade Stand to support ALSF every
year. For the past five
years, our family has hosted a Lemonade Stand in our front yard and online to
raise money for Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation for Childhood
Cancer.

Childhood cancer research is consistently
underfunded and under researched. But ALSF is working to change that. Since
2004, the foundation has made a major impact--raising over $50 million for
research. It all started with Alex--a little girl who was really sick and
really wise. Alex knew that every penny counts and every donation adds
up.

This year, our family aims to raise $10,000
for a cure to all forms of childhood cancer. It is an enormous goal--but it is
one we hope to reach with the help of kind and generous
friends.

Every donation--whether $5 or $50
counts.

When you buy a cup
(or 100 cups, please!), you will be sipping in the beautiful stories of some of
my favorite people in the world, my heroes. In honor of all those children,
mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters who fight, have fought and will continue
to sell lemonade for their friends, until cures for pediatric cancer are found,
I ask, I beg you to raise a glass to these amazing
blessings.

Together, we will beat childhood cancer, one
icy cold, sweet cup of lemonade at a time!

06/03/2013

If you have been following my blog, you know that I am a huge fan of Monster Jam. My family and I have gone to two shows and loved every minute. I have also been fortunate enough to give some tickets away in the past to you guys.

I am happy to report that I am able to do it again!

Monster Jam is a great experience for people of all ages. The drivers are hugely in tune with their fans and love to make the show as interactive as they can. They make their way into the stands and hang out for pictures before the show in a Pit Party designed to get you up close and personal with the trucks and drivers.

On June 15th, Advanced Auto Parts Monster Jam: Path of Destruction Tour will be at the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ. This event is second only
to World Finals in Las Vegas as the trucks and drivers competing at MetLife are
considered to be some of the biggest stars of Monster Jam. I want you to be there to check it out! Per the press release:

More
than 4,000 tons of dirt will be brought inside both iconic stadiums along with
50 crush cars, vans and buses to create the vast Monster Jam Path of Destruction
racing track and freestyle course, only to be destroyed by these massive Monster
Jam trucks.

In
addition to this stacked field of Monster Jam trucks, ZombieSM, El
DiabloSM and Scooby-DooTM will be making their first ever
appearances at M&T Bank Stadium and MetLife Stadium as part of the Monster
Jam Path of Destruction summer events.

You don't want to miss it!

As a great way to welcome the new trucks, I thought we could make this giveaway a little more fun than just a normal "leave a comment" or "tweet this post" giveaway. I want you to get in the spirit of the Zombie truck and take a pic of yourself or your family doing your best zombie impression. Send it to me at cynthialeemom@yahoo.com and I will post it here! You can add additional entries by filling out the rafflecopter form below & completing the tasks required, but the photo is mandatory to be entered into the contest. Once all entries are in, I will pick one at random to win a family 4 pack of tickets to the June 15th show!

Even if you don't win, tickets to the show are still available at monsterjam.com. Total Access Pass - $125 All SeatsVIP - $50 All SeatsRegular Tickets- $35 Adults / $15 Kids (ages 2 - 12) - all tickets will be $2 more at the door.

Disclosure: I have been given tickets to give away, but have not received any compensation to write this post. All opinions and love for Monster Jam are my own.

02/19/2013

Have you ever watched freestyle motocross on the X Games? To me, the X Games are like watching all the stuff your mom always told you not to do because it is so super dangerous. It feels almost sneaky and taboo to flip on the TV and see these guys flying through the air on dirtbikes. It makes you turn your head for a second to see if Mom is going to yell at you.

Well, the Nuclear Cowboyz are like the X Games times a million. Not only are the same guys who you know and love from the X Games right there in front of you- flipping around and doing stunts you never thought possible- they are performing a very well-choreographed show with an actual storyline, costumes and pyrotechnics.

Nuclear
Cowboyz®, the only high octane-fueled freestyle motocross touring
production in North America, is coming to IZOD Center in East Rutherford, N.J.
on March 16-17. The action-packed narrative is the legend of two powerful
freestyle motocross tribes whose survival in their futuristic world is told
through an amassed compilation of fearless freestyle aerial feats,
gravity-defying stunts, and electrifying pyrotechnic and laser displays
synchronized to an energizing soundtrack.

Sound like fun? Well, here is a little more to sweeten the pot for you:

I was given TWO (yes, two) family 4-packs of tickets to give away for this year's show and I want YOU to have them!

All I need you to do is enter to win. I will be choosing two winners at the end of the giveaway and will contact you to let you know you've won. I've set up this nifty Rafflecopter form for you to use. You can enter as many ways as you'd like, but you MUST complete the task in order for your entry to count. For example: if you enter by choosing to leave a blog post comment, you have to actually leave a comment on this post.

Hey, even if you don't win you can still get tickets for your family through Ticketmaster. If you are feeling really saucy, go for the VIP Fallout Zone passes (Saturday only) which will get you in the same room as the riders before the show for autographs and photo ops. It's a great time for everyone!

Disclosure: I was given tickets to see the Nuclear Cowboyz. All opinions are my own. They really, really DO rock.

I love writing my own rules, I love the Harlem Globetrotters and most importantly I love YOU!

...So guess what?

It's giveaway time!

I am proud to announce that Prudential Center in Newark, NJ has offered me an awesome giveaway prize of 4 tickets to see the Harlem Globetrotters in action on February 16th.

This year, the Globetrotters are trying something a little different:

The Globetrotters’ 2013 “You Write the Rules” World Tour will allow New York area fans to choose the rules of each game. New rules include playing with two basketballs at once, getting double the points for each basket, and more. Fans can vote for their favorite rule at www.harlemglobetrotters.com/rule.

I am a HUGE fan of the Globetrotters. I remember watching the commercials as a kid...trying to emulate their moves out in my driveway next to my wooden basketball hoop...whistling Sweet Georgia Brown for the rest of the day.

I even learned to play it on the clarinet.

I always felt super cool whenever I got the basketball to spin for more than one rotation on my finger tip or I could dribble two balls for more than 3 seconds. I thought for SURE a Globetrotter scout would be driving by, slam on the brakes and immediately knock on our front door to talk with my parents about jersey size and the need for a tutor while we're on the road.

Of course, that never happened. But a girl can dream, right?

Here is a little more about the show:

FIRST FEMALE HARLEM GLOBETROTTER IN 20
YEARS LEADS WORLD FAMOUS TEAM INTO PRUDENTIAL
CENTER

Globetrotters
bring six games to NYC-area from February 15-18

TNT Maddox will inspire all girls in the NYC-area when she
leads the world famous Harlem Globetrotters into Manhattan, North Jersey, and
Long Island for six games from Feb. 15-18, including her Prudential Center debut
on Saturday, February 16 at 1 p.m.

As a former standout at Temple
University, TNT joined the Globetrotters in the fall of 2011 as the ninth woman
to play for the team in 87 years. She is the first female Globetrotter since
1993. The first woman to ever play for a men’s professional basketball team was
a Globetrotter – Hall of Famer Lynette Woodard – who signed in
1985.

Sponsored by Howard Johnson
Hotels, Wonderful Pistachios, Greyhound Lines, Spalding, and Russell Athletic,
the Original Harlem Globetrotters are celebrating their 87th consecutive year,
continuing a world famous tradition of ball handling wizardry, basketball
artistry, and one-of-a-kind family entertainment that continues to thrill fans
of all ages. Throughout their history, the Globetrotters have showcased their
iconic talents in 121 countries and territories on six continents, often
breaking down cultural and societal barriers while providing fans with their
first-ever basketball experience. Proud inductees of the Naismith Memorial
Basketball Hall of Fame, the Globetrotters have entertained hundreds of millions
of fans—among them popes, kings, queens, and presidents—over more than eight
thrilling decades. For the latest news and information about the Harlem
Globetrotters, and to purchase tickets and team merchandise, visit the
Globetrotters’ official Web site: www.harlemglobetrotters.com.

I am so excited about this giveaway. To enter, all you have to do is follow the prompts within the following Rafflecopter form. You can choose as many entries as you like, but you MUST complete the task required in the form. Example: if you choose the "Leave a blog post comment" option, you MUST leave a blog post comment in order for that entry to be included. I hope you win!

Prudential Center is home
to the three-time Stanley Cup Champion and 2011-2012 Eastern Conference Champion
New Jersey Devils, Seton Hall NCAA Division 1 Men's Basketball, the WNBA’s New
York Liberty, over 200 events a year including major concerts, the 2011 NCAA
East Regional, the 2011 & 2012 NBA Draft and the 2013 NHL Draft. Opened in
October 2007, the arena now welcomes over 2 million guests through its doors
annually, ranking tenth overall in 2011, according to leading industry
publication Venues Today. The Rock provides the ultimate live sports and
entertainment experience for fans, featuring unique dining options and superior
customer service in seven premium lounges. The Acela Club showcases a
custom-made mahogany wine cabinet and unique seating overlooking the ice and
court. Ice Lounge is furnished with an ice bar and features center bowl views.
The exciting sports bar atmosphere is the centerpiece of Bud Light Goal Bar,
also with center bowl views.

What’s more, the fan experience begins outside Prudential
Center in Championship Plaza, a brick paved fan message-driven courtyard that
features a 22-foot tall, three-ton metal “Ironman” hockey player statue. The
Plaza plays host to live entertainment with a block party atmosphere during
FanFest celebrations before events. AmeriHealth Pavilion is Prudential Center
Center’s second ice rink and is the official practice facility of the New Jersey
Devils and home to Brick City Boxing, youth, high school and adult hockey
programming and Hockey In Newark.

A pro sports first, the Devils created Mission Control which
features a Digital Command Center located inside the Prudential Center designed
to more effectively manage, monitor, and measure the franchise’s online brand
engagements. Mission Control is fueled in part by the Devils Generals, a team
of two-dozen socially-savvy fans who utilize Twitter, Facebook and other online
channels hosted by the team/arena to extend the organization’s
reach.

Prudential Center is located in downtown Newark just two
blocks from Newark Penn Station, accessible via NJ Transit, PATH and Amtrak,
while at the heart of cross-roads for five major highway access routes and 12
miles from midtown Manhattan. Prudential Center’s charitable arm, Devils Care,
in partnership with the New Jersey Devils, was awarded the 2011 EPA’s
Environmental Quality Award for its Rock and Wrap It Up! Program.

*This post is sponsored by Prudential Center. All opinions are my own.

11/20/2012

This year, Elite Martial Arts is giving back by giving YOU a FREE event!

Just call us tonight, Tuesday, November 20th by 10pm and you will automatically be selected to win ... totally FREE! Call 973 361 5425!

*for non-students only

Greetings!

Your child is invited to join us for fun and exciting ALL DAY Camp at our school!

We'll teach kids team building exercises, karate classes, watch movies, play games and break for lunch and snacks! Open to all participants - you don't have to be a martial arts student to attend! Enrollment is limited so sign-up today by completing the form; click sign up now!

Time: 9AM - 4PM

(with a 6AM and/or 6PM extension!)

Cost: ONLY $45(normally $80ea)

There's MORE! Enjoy 3 hours - a Parent Night Out event - for only $20! This time it's a Black Friday Black Out! Karate classes... in the dark! Team building activities! Pizza & Juice dinner! Just click sign up now to register!

11/10/2012

I'm dazed. For almost two weeks now life has not been normal. I have been sitting in this bubble next to all these homes demolished by hurricane Sandy. Nothing happened to my home or family, so I am eternally grateful for that. But I am sad. I don't understand it all. I keep pushing that thought back because I don't really think I would ever want to know the reasoning behind all that has happened. It has happened. That is enough.

I have been getting mad a lot lately, too. I don't normally get mad. But I have been lately. I have been focusing my anger on this chair I see on the side of the road. This chair has been sitting there for a few days now. It looks like someone threw it out for special pick-up. On normal days, it would be an average sight. But now, the mere thought of it is making me cringe. It's a beautiful recliner. It looks almost new.

If you were to go across town, you could probably find the same recliner on the side of the road, but it would be soaked in bay water from the massive flooding along with every other ounce of its home's contents. That twin recliner would have been thrown out because it had to be, not because someone just didn't want it. This one over here was probably replaced by an even newer recliner in a nice warm house.

How silly is that? I'm getting mad at a chair? I don't even know WHY it was thrown out. Maybe it has a pee stain. Maybe it IS broken. Yet, I'm still mad. There it sat through a rain/snow storm. There it still sits... if I had the ability I would bring it across town myself.

But anyway... I don't know what to write. I thought writing about the tragedy would make me feel better. But the truth is, I'm not ready to feel better. People need help. Standing beside them and helping to get them back to normal is the only way to go. Getting mad at a chair and helping in any way I can is whatever works for me. Use whatever works for you to get through it.

I made up this Facebook page for people to check if they want to help in any way. I hope you can check it out.